Eighteenth Century Spanish Composers, Vol. VIII

By Daniel Zimmermann

The following Valencian composers are treated: Vicente Martín y Soler, Joaquín García de Antonio, Juan Bautista Cabanilles, Vicente Rodríquez Monllor, and Manuel Narro Campos.
The following Basque composers are treated: Mateo Albéniz, Pedro Albéniz, Juan Francés de Iribarren, Joaquín Martínez de Oxinaga, Manuel de Gamarra Licona, and Juan Andrés de Lombide Mezquía,
The following composers originated in Madrid and its environs: Antonio Rodríguez de Hita, José de Torres y Martínez Bravo, Santiago de Murcia, and Félix Antonio Máximo López Crespo.
Also treated are the following Aragonese composers: José Antonio Nebra Mezquita, José Melchor de Nebra, Francisco Javier Nebra Blasco, Joaquín Ignacio Nebra Blasco, José Blasco Lacarra, Gaspar Sanz, Juan de Sesé y Balaguer, José Joaquín Beltrán, and Rafael Anglés.
There is also a presentation of the lives and works of the following Catalan composers: Josep Mir i Llussà, Luis Misón, Francesc Mariner, Carlos Baguer, Francesc Queralt, Mateu Ferrer i Oller, Antoni Soler i Ramos, Joan Rossell, Francesc Juncà, Jaume Balius i Vila, Domènec Arquimbau, Joan Baptista Pla i Agusti, Manuel Pla I Agusti, Josep Pla i Agusti, Domènec Terradellas, Fernando Sor, Francisco Valls, and José Pons.
Two composers came from Majorca: Antoni de Literes and Francisco Guerau.
The following originated in Salamanca and its environs: José Lidón and Juan Antonio de Aragüés.
The following foreign composers worked in Spain: Emanuele Rincón, Francesco Corselli, Luigi Boccherini, Gaetano Brunetti, Giacomo Rust, and Philipo Falconi.
Also treated are Diego and Sebastián Durón, Antonio Martín y Coll, Manuel Blasco de Nebra, Antonio de Yanguas, Juan Oliver y Astorga, Antonio Ugena, and Antonio Guerrero.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Daniel Zimmermann
• Release date: Oct 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005585723

Daniel Zimmermann

Daniel Zimmermann was born in Merrill, Wisconsin, and grew up in Hustisford, Wisconsin. He was graduated as valedictorian from Northwestern College, Watertown, Wisconsin. His valedictory concerned the ancient philosopher Plotinus. Special honors were third place in an Eta Sigma Phi Greek composition contest and the Doctor Ott award.He was also graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. After serving as pastor for several years, he became a free lance writer. Because of the outstanding success of his Spanish poetry in Mexico, his biography was included in Who's Who in the Midwest. He is also a former member of American Mensa.He is married to Merian, nee Ecot. The couple is residing in the Philippines.Daniel Zimmermann is the author of short stories and poetry. He also writes non-fiction, especially on literature, history, Christianity, and botany.

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Eighteenth Century Spanish Composers, Vol. VIII

By Daniel Zimmermann

Chapter One

Composers from Valencia and Environs

Vicente Martín y Soler (1754-1806)

Martín y Soler did not spend too much time in Spain. He grew up in Valencia, played the organ in Alicante, and spent some time in Madrid; then he moved to Italy in 1777.

Opera was in his blood. Even before moving to Italy, he composed a zarzuela in Madrid. So not surprisingly, a host of operas issued from his pen as soon as he entered the land where opera was born. He produced operas in Naples, Turin, Lucca, Parma, and Venice.

He eventually moved to Vienna, where he collaborated with Lorenzo da Ponte. One of these collaborations generated the attractive title: Una cosa rara, o sia bellezza ed onestà.

From a moral point of view, the plot is better than most comic operas. From the title, we expect the action to focus on a chaste girl, and we are not disappointed. Don Giovanni fails to seduce Lilla in spite of his ingenious attempts. The opera is not perfect, but I shall pass over the factors that sadden a Christian’s heart.

The entire opera may be heard online. The music is exquisitely beautiful. Martín y Soler is sometimes called a Valencian Mozart, and the nickname is well-deserved.

During this sojourn in Vienna, he composed another opera entitled Il burbero di buon cuore. Da Ponte’s libretto is based on a play by Carlo Goldoni. The complete opera is presented online.

Many other dramatic works of Martín y Soler are presented in online recordings, including the opera L’arbore di Diana. Some online recordings are merely excerpts.

Believe it or not, he did write some purely instrumental music. His Divertimento No. 4 in B flat major has four movements, culminating in a sprightly Allegretto.

Martín y Soler lived in Vienna from 1785 to 1788. Then he moved to St. Petersburg. Except for a two-year sojourn in London, he lived in Russia the rest of his life.

He continued to compose a few operas until 1798, sometimes using Russian-language librettos. He also composed some ballets in St. Petersburg.

Joaquín García de Antonio (c.1710-1779)

Joaquín García was born in Anna, a town situated about 55 kilometers SSW of Valencia as the crow flies. He was the son of Antonio García and his wife Josepha. He soon lost his mother; but after he reached the age of two, he enjoyed the care of Francisca Gil, his father’s second wife.

After a childhood and early life concerning which we do not have very much reliable information, Joaquín García moved to the Canary Islands in 1735. Here he served as maestro de capilla in the cathedral of Las Palmas, a city on Gran Canaria, the third largest island of the archipelago. He enjoyed this position the rest of his life.

In 1739 he married Antonia Vélez de Osorio, with whom he had two children.

Included in his compositions are masses, cantatas, tonadas and villancicos.

Of his cantatas, we may hear the following works online: Oh, Soberano Augusto Sacramento and Dexame, que he de hacer.

Also online is his villancico Ay! Qué prodigio plus other works.

Juan Bautista Cabanilles (1644-1712)

The name of this composer may also be spelled Joan Baptista Cabanilles. Joan is evidently the way they spelled Juan in some parts of Spain. The pronunciation of the two versions of